Household Support Fund
The autumn/winter payment is being sent out from the end of November 2023 onwards.
About the Household Support Fund
We know that this year has been tougher than most, particularly for those on lower incomes.
We have been granted a further £4.8million as part of the Department for Work and Pension’s Household Support Fund (HSF). The funding is instrumental in providing essential aid to residents facing financial hardship. This latest allocation of funds will enable us to offer further financial support to communities, during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Funding was granted in April 2023 to help those most in need. The funding has been split into 2 payments (spring/summer and autumn/winter) to ensure we can support as many residents as possible.
- Automatic payments were issued to households who have been identified from our data as being in 'financial stress', households who did not qualify for the £650 Cost of Living Payment, care leavers and many more. Please note the deadline for cashing in the vouchers is 30 days from the date in your letter. More information on 'financial stress' criteria can be found in the FAQs section below
- Vouchers were issued by schools to students eligible for Free School Meals to provide support during school holidays
- Funding was given to a number of voluntary and community organisations to support households who are in need of extra support and/or who may not have been identified through our data
- A proportion of the funding was also paid into Haringey Support Fund, where residents can apply for additional one-off funding if they are facing financial hardship. Visit the Haringey Support Fund page to find out more and apply
To view the full Allocations Policy document, please see the Cabinet Member signing minutes - Household Support Fund Round 3 Allocations Policy.
Automatic payments to residents
Please note the deadline for cashing in the vouchers is 30 days from the date in your letter.
Automatic payments are paid via Post Office vouchers. Residents who have been identified are automatically eligible and won’t need to apply for the funding - the payments are being sent out directly to those households and individuals. Payment amounts are dependent upon individual circumstances.
The fund also:
- supports those that are vulnerable to rising prices even though they are eligible for the other support the government has recently made available
- covers a wide range of low income households in need, including families with children of all ages, pensioners, care leavers and disabled people
The automatic support is provided to households where we can be identify a need though the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction scheme and various other support provided by us.
If you are not eligible
We are aware that we may not know all of our residents circumstances and you may feel that you fall into one of these groups. If you have not been identified to receive a Household Support Fund automatic payment and require support, you can apply for the Haringey Support Fund, our discretionary support scheme.
Residents receiving a Post Office voucher will not be required to fill out an application form.
When you receive your letter with your voucher, please make sure you cash it in at any UK Post Office as soon as you can. Please make sure you bring ONE of the following items as identification:
- Your gas or electricity bill (dated within the last 3 months), or water or Council Tax bill
- Your bank statement (dated within the last 3 months)
- Your valid passport or driving licence
- A debit or credit card in your name
- Or Sign up for EasyID (external link)
Free School Meals vouchers
All vouchers will be administered and given out by schools.
FAQs
How much will I receive?
This is a one-off payment to eligible residents. Most will receive £100, however some may receive more depending on their circumstances.
Will I have to fill out an application form?
If you are in one of the eligible groups, you will not need to fill out an application form. We have specifically designed this process in a way that avoids residents having to complete a complicated application form.
How will I receive the payment?
You will receive a letter from us that will have an enclosed Post Office voucher. You will be able to cash the voucher in at any UK Post Office.
When will I receive the payment?
We aim to send out all the vouchers in November/December 2023. Please note that the vouchers will need to be cashed within 30 days from the date in your letter.
Will the payment affect my benefits?
No, this is additional funding to help with the cost of living. This payment will not affect your benefits.
Do I need to repay this payment?
No, this payment is for you to keep and you will not need to pay it back.
What can I use this payment for?
This money is for you to use as you wish. It is there to help with the rising cost of living so you can spend it on food, energy or anything else you need support with. You will not need to tell us what you spend the money on.
What does 'financial stress' mean?
This financial resilience data details the relationship between household income, savings and expected household expenditure:
- In crisis: household take-home income is not enough to meet only their rent and their Council Tax liability and they do not have enough savings to meet 3 months worth of expected expenditure
- At risk: household take-home income is less than their expected expenditure, and they do not have enough savings to meet 3 months worth of their expected expenditure
- Struggling: household take-home income is between £0 (zero) and £100 greater than their expected expenditure and they do not have enough savings to meet 3 months worth of expected expenditure
- Coping: household take-home income is greater than expected expenditure by over £100. Or household take-home income is less than £100 above expected expenditure and they do have 3 months worth of savings